- A motorist is driving through a remote rural area at
night. He sees something move by the side of the road. A badger? Too large
it must be a deer. But as he nears the object it becomes apparent it is
like nothing he has ever see before. Rearing up on two legs like a man
the thing is 8 feet tall and covered in shaggy hair. Its eyes burn red
in the car's headlights as the startled driver floors the pedal.
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- You could be forgiven for thinking this was a report
of the Sasquatch or Bigfoot in North America but it is not. It happened
here, in Britain - and similar encounters are being reported up and down
the country today. Such reports are normally few and far between, but over
the last six weeks there has been a proliferation of them unparalleled
in British history.
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- The creatures have been reported from a wood in Sussex,
from Lancashire, from Sherwood Forest, from Scotland, and most notably
from the vicinity of Bolam Lake in rural Northumberland. One of the first
witnesses described how he saw "a dark figure", which "looked
about 8ft tall, heavy built, its eyes, or what seemed to be its eyes, glowed
in the darkness." There have been several other reports, which
seem to be startlingly similar.
-
- These accounts are so impressive that Britain's foremost
team of professional monster hunters are travelling to Northumberland next
week in order to investigate the phenomenon. The four-man team from the
Centre for Fortean Zoology, based in Exeter, hit headlines all around the
world last year when they successfully went in search of a monstrous creature
that had been attacking swans at a Lancashire Nature Reserve. On that occasion
the culprit turned out to be a giant catfish from Eastern Europe. What
do they think it is going to be this time?
-
- "Whereas there is very little doubt that creatures
such as the yeti or the Orang Pendek of Sumatra are bona fide species of
higher primate that have so far escaped detection by scientists, other
man beasts from Australia, North America and Europe are far more problematical"
says expedition leader Jonathan Downes (43), director of the Centre for
Fortean Zoology.
-
- "There simply isn't a suitable climate, habitat,
or food source in Britain to support an unknown great ape" says expedition
Zoologist Richard Freeman (33), "but then again I would love to be
proved wrong". Richard, who studied Zoology at Leeds University and
is also a qualified zoo-keeper has worked with all the great apes and will
be playing recordings of known ape species and also sounds allegedly made
by the North American Sasquatch in an attempt to attract the beast of Bolam
Lake. During the week-long expedition the team will also be utilising hi-tech
equipment in an attempt to solve this fascinating mystery.
-
- " We are all very excited about this trip"
says John Fuller, (40), the newest member of the CFZ Team. " After
all how often does one get the chance to confront a medieval folk tale
which seems to have come to life?"
-
- NOTES FOR EDITORS
-
- · The giant ape is a legend found in many countries
most famously the Yeti of Asia but few realise that our tiny, overcrowded
island is home to such a tradition. In the dark ages such figures were
referred to as trolls (via Norse influence) or Woodwoses (from Anglo-Saxon).
They are found in folktales right across Europe. The Wildman was a familiar
figure in the mumming plays of medieval times, but could these stories
have some substance behind them?
-
- · The idea of such creatures in the forests of
sub-tropical Asia or even the woods of Canada is not too far fetched. Indeed
some of the Asian man beasts have been backed up by hair, bone and scat
samples. Many zoologists believe the creatures to be descendents of a species
of giant ape, Gigantopithecus blackii, thought extinct since the last Ice
Age. The fossils of this giant have been uncovered since then in China
and India but are unknown in Europe. If such huge primates had ever lived
in our country it would be likely that they would have been hunted to extinction
along with the bear and the wolf.
-
- · The CFZ team intend to follow up their investigations
in a Northumberland with expeditions to Sussex and to Sherwood Forest to
investigate other recent sightings of similar phenomena.
-
- · The Centre for Fortean Zoology is a non profit-making
organisation, which was founded in 1992. Over the last 11 years we have
mounted expeditions to Central America, Thailand, Mexico, various parts
of the United States, as well as numerous investigations in the UK. Further
information on the CFZ can be found on their website, www.cfz.org.uk. Full
biographies of Expedition members together with their media CVs can be
found on the site.
-
- · Pictures of the expedition members are available.
-
- · C F Z director Jonathan Downes has written numerous
books on the subject of mystery animals. The latest, entitled The monster
of the Mere, recounts the 2002 expedition in the search of a giant fish
in a Lancashire lake.
-
- · The honorary life President of the Centre for
Fortean Zoology is renowned explorer, author and soldier Colonel John Blashford-Snell
OBE, best known for his pioneering Operation Drake and Operation Raleigh
expeditions during the 1970s.
-
- FOR FURTHER INFORMATION
-
- Please feel free to contact Richard or Jonathan on 01392
424811 until Thursday 16th January. After that you can contact the expedition
on 07901 935443
-
- This is a preliminary press release. When the itinerary
for the expedition has been finalised another press release will be issued.
-
- www.cfz.org.uk
- 15 Holne Court, Exwick, Exeter, EX4 2NA.
- Telephone 01392 424811 Mobile 07901 935443
- e-mail: cfz@eclipse.co.uk
-
- Jonathan Downes: Director; Graham Inglis: Deputy Director;
- Richard Freeman: Cryptozoologist
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